The Education Committee has met a total of eight times
during the past academic year.The
committee agenda has been substantial especially during the Spring Semester and
it will continue to keep several of its members busy well into this summer.

Five-year reviews

The committee reviewed and modified the
questionnaire that is used to evaluate new academic programs five years after
senate approval. The questionnaire now has improved sections for outcomes assessment.
A copy of the questionnaire will be added to the link on the senate web page on
“starting a new academic program” to make new program directors aware in a
timely fashion of the data that they are expected to provide for the 5-year
review.

Because of the revision of the questionnaire the reviews of
4 programs, which were to be implemented during academic year 2006-2007 by a
subcommittee with assistance from the Office of the Vice-Provost, were delayed
until the Spring semester. The data will be reviewed when the committee
reconvenes in September 2007.

Evaluation of new program proposals

The committee received proposals for a total of six new
degree programs and, after subcommittee and committee review, submitted two
resolutions for approval by the senate:

Dual
MPA degree (SIPA and National University of Singapore)

approved
3/30/07

MS
degree in Patient Oriented Research (MSPH)

approved
3/30/07

The four other proposals (MS degree in Oral History; PhD
degree in Behavioral Nutrition; dual MA degree in International and World
History with the London School of Economics; and a dual BS/MS degree in
Electrical Engineering) were received in March and April of 2007. They were
assigned to subcommittees for review during the summer and for committee action
early in the fall semester of 2007

Four other
resolutions were submitted to the senate for approval. Resolutions to:

Create
a new Department of Neuroscience

approved
9/22/06

Merge
the Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, and Pathology and name the
new unit Department of Pathology and Cell Biology

approved
2/23/07

Establish
a new Herbert and Florence Irving Institute for Clinical and translational
Research

approved
3/30/07

Establish
a new Institute for Comparative Literature and Society

(pending
5/4/07)

The full committee invited the following guests for
consultation:

On the subject of
establishing an Institute for Comparative Literature and Society:

Gayatri
Spivak – University Professor, Director of Center for Comparative
Literature and Society

The Academic Calendar is reviewed and approved by the
Education Committee. Previously the calendar had been approved for a ten-year
period through 2011.

However, a recurring problem is faced in the fall semesters
of certain academic years: when a late Labor Day (September 7) can cause a
reduction in study days and final exam dates that are very close to the
Christmas holiday. Since NYSED requirements are for a 15-week term, there are
few solutions to this problem, other than starting the academic year the week
before Labor Day during certain years, discontinuing the election break, etc..
No generally applicable solutions could be generated for this problem, which
had also been discussed in the 2005-2006 academic year. The committee requested
that the Registrar provide it with copies of academic calendars as they are
prepared, in order to determine if any ad-hoc solutions for a given year might
be found.

On the subject of distance learning:

Todd
Hardy – Executive Director of DKV

Jane
P. Hatterer – Director of DKV

Jason
Fox – Director of DKV

Gloria
Pickar – Compass Knowledge

Frank
Moretti, Executive Director of CCNMTL

John
Zimmerman, Co-Director of CCNMTL at CUMC

In its continuing efforts to inform itself about the use of
new media in on-campus and on line learning, the committee devoted several
meetings to this subject. While the meeting with the directors of DKV and an
outside vendor highlighted the issues of marketing on-line programs and the
high start-up costs of producing an on-line course of sufficient quality to fit
the reputation of Columbia University, the committee members continued to
express serious concerns about partnerships with outside private firms for the
creation and delivery of on-line degree programs.

The committee was generally convinced that in distance
learning programs management aspects of a course may displace the educational
aspects. It reiterated the general conviction that in education dialogue is
essential. Pitfalls to be avoided include courses with on-line lectures only,
without the possibility of face-to-face engagement. Blended models for distance
learning should be explored. Successful models in the use of new media might
include interactive simulations with problem-solving options.

The committee decided to meet with the directors of CCNMTL
on an annual basis for an update on current projects and for the development of
a database of successful applications involving the use of new media.

CCNMTL currently focuses on complimenting and enriching
existing courses on-campus, but is interested in the development of on-line
courses. The members of the committee felt that the Center’s focus is on
enriching the educational experience, rather than the entrepreneurial side of
distance learning and views the Center as a significant resource for ColumbiaUniversity.

Finally, in consultation with the Structure and Operations
Committee, the Libraries Committee, and the Ad Hoc Committee on Online
Learning, the Education Committee agreed to support a proposal for a Resolution
to amend the composition and jurisdiction of the committee to include
examination of new online/distance learning applications and to support a
Resolution to create a new Committee on information and Communications
Technology, to replace the Ad Hoc Committee on Online Learning.

Acknowledgement

The committee wishes to express its sincere appreciation to
Trustee emerita Anna Longobardo, Trustee observer, for her continued interest
and efforts on behalf of the committee, as well as her active participation in
the committee meetings.Her advice and
perspectives have greatly assisted the committee in its activities. The
committee has similarly benefited in the past from the input of several alumni
representatives and hopes that a new alumnus will be appointed to the committee
next year to continue this valuable contribution to the work of the committee.